Pivoting ski chair seat for trams



1968 T. R. SOWDER 3,395,938

PIVOTING SKI CHAIR SEAT FOR TRAMS Filed Nov. 25, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIGURE 3 Tony R Sowder, INVENTOR.

1968 T. R. SOWDER 3,395,938

PIVOTING SKI CHAIR SEAT FOR TRAMS Filed Nov. 25, 1966 2 Sheets-Shem 2 United States Patent 3,395,938 PIVOTING SKI CHAIR SEAT FOR TRAMS Tony R. Sowder, 814 E. Grace Ave., Spokane, Wash. 99207 Filed Nov. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 597,151 6 Claims. (Cl. 297-333) My invention relates generally to a pivotably mounted tram chair seat and more particularly to such a seat that is pivoted in its forward part and biased to an upturned position to keep snow and debris off its upper surface, but yieldably returnable to a horizontal position in response to a skiers sitting in it.

Many ski trams carry passengers in open chairs and are of the type that load passengers during continuous motion. Such chairs normally have an immovable seat substantially horizontally disposed so as to present a surface for the accumulation of snow, ice and debris deposited naturally or in the process of operation.

This condition is both physically and aesthetically disagreeable to a passenger and oftentimes physically deleterious to the structure of the seat itself. With carriers loaded during constant motion there is little, if any, time to remove this accumulation of debris prior to loading. With these thoughts in mind the instant invention was conceived, and in so doing it is:

A principal object of my invention to provide a pivotably mounted tram chair seat movably biased to a normally upturned position to prevent the accumulation of ice and snow on the upper surface thereof.

A further object of my invention to provide such a seat that is pivotably mounted at its forward edge and biased with the rearward edge pivoted upwardly so that when a passenger seats himself in a habitually normal fashion therein, the seat will return to an operable horizontal position.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a seat of the nature aforesaid that is of simple and economic manufacture, of rugged and durable nature and otherwise well adapted to the uses and purposes for which it is intended.

These and other objects of my invention will become apparent from consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings. In carrying out the objects of my invention, however, it is to be understood that its essential features are susceptible of change in design, ordering and arrangement, with only one preferred and practical embodiment being illustrated, as required.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers of reference refer to similar parts throughout:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a common type yoke supported tram chair, embodying the principal species of my invention, with the support arm partially cut away.

FIGURE 2 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of FIGURE 1 taken on the line 22 thereon, in the direction indicated by the arrows, showing particularly the spring biasing means of the device.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view, from a viewpoint perpendicular to that of FIGURE 2, of the pivotable mounting of the chair seat on the chair frame, taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2 in the direction indicated by the arrows thereon.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the tram chair of FIGURE 1, taken on the line 44 thereon, in the direction indicated by the arrows, to show particularly the rearward seat supporting structure of my invention.

FIGURE 5 is an isometric view of a torsional species of my invention embodied in a common type of arm supported chair, with the seat raised to its normally biased position to allow illustration of the operative mechanism of the device.

FIGURE 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the species of seat of FIGURE 5 taken on the line 66 thereon, in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 7 is a partial isometric view of the torsion spring anchorage and the tool used to change the spring position therein.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail and particularly to that of FIGURE 1, there will be seen an ordinary type tram chair, including traction rope support arm 10 communicating with chair yoke 11, in turn supporting peripheral rearwardly extending U-sha-ped upper seat brace 12 and similar lower seat brace 13, having forwardly projecting portions 14. Angled seat brace 15 angularly communicates from the lowermost extension 16 of chair yoke 11 to the rearward position of lower seat brace 13 to give additional rigidity in the frame structure. Laterally extending for-ward seat support 17 communicates between the forwardmost extensions 14 of lower seat brace 13. Usually all of these members are of a tubular nature and joined by welding to form a rigid structure.

Planar sheet-like member 18 communicates structurally between the rearward parts of upper seat brace 12 and lower seat brace 13 to form a solid back member for the chair and provide further rigidity for the member. This structure heretofore described is common in many tram chairs and well known in the art.

My invention comprises the angularly biased, pivotable mounting or horizontal seat member 19 on this frame. Horizontal seat member 19 is a planar rectangular structure, as illustrated, appropriately sized to move between the vertically extending legs of chair yoke 11 and extend from forward seat support 17 rearwardly to be supported in its rearward part by angle brace 20. This seat member is preferably formed with metallic sheet-like cover 23 structurally communicating with at least part of its upper surface. Forwardly projecting fingers 24 of this cover are shaped to form hinge 25 pivotably supporting seat 19 upon forward seat support 17.

In voids 26 between fingers 24 are position biasing springs 27, adapted to movably bias seat member 19 to an upturned position, preferably substantially vertical. Biasing springs 27 are fiat elastic members of some width, having rearward fastening portion 28, medial spring portion 29, forward curve portion 30 fitting about forward seat support 17 and terminating in inwardly turned support car 31. Screws 32 communicate through holes 3-3 in the fastening portion 28 of the spring to fasten the member to the undersurface of seat 19. This spring member is so formed to bias seat 19 to a substantially vertical position 'but be elastically deformable to allow the seat to move angularly downward to a substantially horizontal position wherein it is supported by angle support 20.

Seat support 20 structurally communicates with the rearwardmost body portion of the U of lower seat brace 13 by vertical leg 21 and has horizontal leg 22 pro jecting forwardly in an appropriate position to support horizontal seat member 19, in its rearward extension, from below. This seat support is joined to lower seat brace 13 in a fashion to create appropriate strength for proper functioning.

A species of my invention using a torsional spring biasing means in an arm supported chair is illustrated in FIGURE 5, et seq.

Here the chair structure is quite similar to that described except that support arm 10 communicates with the chair structure by releasable joinder with a medial support 34, a hole 35 is provided in the seat member to allow pivotable seat motion about the support arm, and upper seat brace 12 is modified in its lateral portions to form opposed side arm rests. Seat 19 has depending fastening cars 36 journaling axle 37 which in turn is pivotably carried within seat pivot support 17. This structure again is common and well known in this particular type of chair.

My invention here comprises the rod-like torsional spring 38 communicating between seat 19 and the chair frame. The spring is formed with a U-shaped seat fastening structure 39 to cooperate with fastening clamps 40 to releasably fasten the member to the undersurface of seat 19. The frame fastening structure is similarly U shaped with reverse-turned fastening leg 41. The spring is formed so that when in the position illustrated in FIG- URE 6, it will be under substantially no tension.

Frame fastening plate 42 depends structurally from side frame 13 and is provided with central spring body hole 44 and opposed fastening leg holes 43, 35 on each side thereof, the holes being positioned to receive spring fastening leg 41. The spring fastening leg may be changed from one hole 43 to the other 45 by manual manipulation with aid of a tool 46 such as illustrated in FIGURE 7, by reason of its configuration and elasticity.

With this type biasing structure chair seat 19 may be biased to an upward position by maintaining spring fastening leg 41 in hole 45 of fastening plate 42 and to a downward position by using hole 43 of this plate. At times it may be desirable to bias the seat member to a horizontal position.

With this description of the structure of my invention, its operation can now be readily understood.

The tram chair proceeds forwardly in response to motion of a traction rope (not shown) to some loading area where the user stands in the normal path of travel of the chair. The passenger is so positioned on a support that the seat will come forward behind him, at an appropriate level for sitting. As the chair comes to him, the user will be seated in the chair while it continues its progression forwardly; this operation requires some body dexterity but is habitually familiar to tram users.

With my invention, when the chair is not used the seat member 19 will be pivoted to its normally biased upturned position-substantially vertical. In this position debris will not accumulate on the seat and any that has been deposited will normally be removed by action of gravity.

As the chair approaches a user, the seat will be in this biased upward position; but as the user seats himself in the normal fashion on seat 19, the member will move pivotably downward until, in response to the weight of the user, the lower rearward portion of the seat is supported by the chair frame in a substantially horizontal position. When the user is normally seated, the chair will move in its normal course of travel with the seat horizontal, but as soon as the passenger leaves the chair the vertical force will be removed from the seat and it will again return to its normally biased upward position to so remain until put into use again.

The torsional species of my invention may, if desired, be biased to a downward or horizontal position as aforesaid. This is especially desirable when trams are used for transportation in the summer.

From the foregoing description of my invention, it is to be noted that it may be adapted for use with many common tram chairs with a minimum of structural change, and it may be readily used by persons habitually familiar with ordinary non-pivotably mounted chair seats.

It is further to be noted that it is essential to the operation of my invention that the seat be pivoted in its forward extension; the principle can be applied by pivoting at other points so long as they are forward of the medial point of the seat, but operation is most desirable with the structure described, i.e., pivoting at the forwardmost extension of the seat.

It is further to be noted that many biasing means such as off-center weights, extension springs, and the like might be employed, even if not so well, to angularly bias the seat member.

The foregoing description of my invention is necessarily of a detailed, particular nature so that a specific embodiment of it may be set forth as required, but this is not to be construed to prevent various modifications of detail, or multiplication or rearrangement of parts which are included within the spirit, essence or scope of my invention.

Having thusly described my invention, what I desire to protect by Letters Patent, and,

What I claim is:

1. In a tram chair of the type having a peripheral frame with members at least at its forward and rearward seat extensions, a pivotably mounted seat including:

a rigid seat member pivotably carried by the forward member of the chair frame at the forwardmost edge of the seat member;

means yieldably biasing the rearward part of said seat member to an upturned position; and

means of supporting the seat member in a substantially horizontal position against downward motion.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprise:

plural planar spring members mounted upon said pivotable seat support and extending rearwardly to communicate with said seat member to angularly bias said seat member relative said support.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprise:

a torsional spring communicating between said seat and said frame member.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprise:

a torsional spring communicating between said seat and said frame member, said spring being moveable between two predetermined positions to bias said seat member to two differing pivotable positions.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein the means of maintaining said seat horizontal comprises:

an angle member structurally communicating with said rearward seat support and having a forwardly projecting leg adapted to support the lower rearward surface of said seat member,

6. A pivotable seat for a tram chair of the type having a peripheral seat frame of the nature aforesaid, comprising in combination:

a rigid seat member having a hinge in its forward edge pivotably mounting said seat member upon a forward part of said seat frame for pivotable motion upward to a substantially vertical position;

spring means communicating between the forward part of said seat frame and said seat member pivotably biasing said seat member to a substantially vertical position; and

means carried by the rearward part of said seat frame member to support said seat member in a substantially horizontal position against downward motion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,390,248 9/1921 Megary 5-27 1,351,995 9/1920 Cornish 297-331 736,714 8/1903 Gendron 297-333 1,698,344 1/1929 Moft 297-332 2,854,292 9/1958 Schaefier 182-150 3,116,091 12/1963 Bethoon et al 297-332 3,158,398 11/1964 Stryker 297-333 3,008,761 11/1961 McIlvaine 297-184 FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A TRAM CHAIR OF THE TYPE HAVING A PERIPHERAL FRAME WITH MEMBERS AT LEAST OF ITS FORWARD AND REARWARD SEAT EXTENSIONS, A PIVOTABLY MOUNTED SEAT INCLUDING: A RIGID SEAT MEMBER PIVOTABLY CARRIED BY THE FORWARD MEMBER OF THE CHAIR FRAME AT THE FORWARDMOST EDGE OF THE SEAT MEMBER; MEANS YIELDABLY BIASING THE REARWARD PART OF SAID SEAT MEMBER TO AN UPTURNED POSITION; AND MEANS OF SUPPORTING THE SEAT MEMBER IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION AGAINST DOWNWARDLY MOTION. 